Monday, January 26, 2009

Sources report that amendments will be considered Tuesday and Wednesday by key members of the House of Representatives to consider adding between $2 and $3 billion in additional aid for transit to the stimulus bill. Overall, highway expansion will get the most of the transportation funding, and transit will get little - - and even less without the amendments and grassroots action on their behalf.

These amendments have a real chance of passing if they can make it to the floor for a vote. But, there is pressure to keep them from reaching the floor. The amendments are attached for your reference.

The House Rules committee will vote tomorrow at 3:00 pm EST to determine whether to allow these amendments to be offered on the floor. Please call the members of the Rules committee and urge them to allow these amendments to be brought to the floor. Without these amendments, chances for bumping up transit are lost.

Decisions will be made very soon, so please make calls today. It is also important to reach out to the House leadership to let them know why accommodating transit demand is so important and why these amendments should be supported.

The appropriations committee will conference with the Senate on the final bill next week, so now is the time to reach out to them as well about the importance of transit.

MESSAGE* Transit is the future of our nation's metropolitan regions which represent 80% of the US population. Public transit ridership has been surging over the last year, but instead of capitalizing on the public demand for more and better transit, cities are being forced to curtail service and cut jobs.

* The amendments by Reps. Fazio and Nadler should be allowed to reach the House floor for a vote. It is a chance to truly strengthen the Recovery bill, which has overlooked the economic and energy benefits of transit infrastructure which currently will only see 1% of the stimulus investment funds.

* Please allow both these amendments to be brought to the floor for a vote. These modest adjustments will result in far-reaching impact on mobility, pollution reduction, and economic stimulation in metropolitan regions.

* Discuss the transit need in your city and the fact that federal resources for transit can absolutely be spent within the timeframes set out by the bill. House leadership in particular need to hear the case for transit. The white house is pushing them to make no changes. The leadership needs to hear from the cities about why these amendments are critical.

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James Rowen's Bio

James Rowen, a writer and consultant, has worked for newspapers, and as the senior Mayoral staffer, in Madison and Milwaukee, WI. This blog began on 2/2/ 2007. Posts run also at various news sites, including The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's "Purple Wisconsin."